Christopher Byrne Biography

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. 
	Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1898. Pages 447-450

	Scan, OCR and editing by Joy Fisher, jfisher@sdgenweb.com, 1999.

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CHRISTOPHER BYRNE is one of the best-known agriculturists of Volga 
township, Brookings county, South Dakota, where he has a fine farm on 
section 10 of the same.  He also has the distinction of being one of 
the veterans of the late war, in which he took a prominent part, and 
has also considerable reputation as an Indian fighter, as well as 
having been one of the early settlers of the township.  His parents, 
Thomas and Agnes (Connolly) Byrne, were natives of Ireland, where they 
resided until their death, having been the parents of the following 
children:  Patrick, who was one of the celebrated Irish harpers, and 
had the honor to play before Queen Victoria and the leading nobility of 
Great Britain and Ireland, and died in Ireland in 1863; Alice, Anne, 
James, who died in Norwalk, Ohio; Ellen, Mary, Margaret, who died in 
New York City; Elizabeth, who resides in Taberg, Oneida county, New 
York; Catharine, now a resident of Norwalk, Ohio, and Christopher, the 
subject of this sketch.

Mr. Byrne, of whom this biography is written, was born in Carrick 
Macross, County Monaghan, Ireland, in November, 1834, and was reared on 
a farm in his native land, where he was given but limited advantages 
for education, as such was all that was afforded the majority of people 
in those days.  He remained under the parental roof until November, 
1852, at which time he came to America, making the voyage in a sailing 
vessel, and landed in New York eight weeks and three days from the date 
he left his native land.  He was practically penniless and among 
strangers in a strange land, and at once went to Taberg, Oneida county, 
New York, where he had a sister. While a resident of that place he 
secured a position in a tannery, where he remained for a short time and 
then went to Norwalk, Ohio.  At the latter place he worked in a machine 
shop, until 1854,when he removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where for a 
year he worked on a farm.  He next located in Rice county, Minnesota, 
where he took up a pre-emption claim of one hundred and sixty acres of 
land, which he improved. Later he engaged in the meat business in 
Faribault, where for several years he dealt extensively in buying and 
shipping stock to Chicago, Duluth and the northwest, having shipped the 
first cattle on the Northern Pacific to Moorhead for the supply of the 
Northern Pacific Construction Company.  During his residence here he 
was one of the deputy sheriffs of Rice county, which position at the 
time of his service was fraught with many dangers, as it was the time 
when the Younger brothers were captured.  In 1879, Mr. Byrne removed to 
Pipestone county, Minnesota, where he made a homestead and tree-claim 
and proved up on the same.  In 1881, he took up his residence in Volga, 
South Dakota, where he operated a meat market for about three years, 
and dealt in stock.  He also purchased, near Volga, a farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres of very fine land, which is all well improved 
and under a high state of cultivation, and upon which he now resides.

In sketching the life of our subject we must not omit the most 
interesting part of his career, which was during the time when he was 
engaged in fighting the battles of his adopted country, in our great 
Civil war. He enlisted in Company H, Tenth Minnesota Infantry, in 
August, 1862, and was regularly detailed for frontier service on 
account of the hostility of the Indians.  His company was then at 
Vernon Center, and the first winter was passed in mounting guard and in 
building stockades.  In the spring of 1863, they were assembled at Camp 
Pope, at the mouth of the Redwood river, where General Sibley's 
expedition against the Indians was organized, and the company of which 
our subject was a member, became a part of the undertaking. The 
regiment Left Camp Pope on the 16th of June for the field, and arrived 
at the first crossing of the Cheyenne river, July 4. The march was 
monotonous, and the extreme heat caused many sunstrokes, and it was not 
until the 24th that they came upon the first body of the Indians at Big 
Mound, where Crystal Springs, North Dakota, now stands.  On July 28 the 
Tenth Regiment being in advance of the main body, and being out and in 
line one half an hour earlier than ordered, met and repelled the united 
attack of the largest body of Indians which ever confronted an American 
army.  One writer in speaking of this says:  "The brunt of the conflict 
was borne by the Tenth Regiment, with Colonel Baker in front, where the 
Indian assault was most gallantly met and broken."  The number of 
Indians in the battle as estimated at the time by Joseph R. Brown, the 
chief of scouts, was from four thousand to five thousand. They pursued 
the Indians to the Missouri river to where Bismarck now stands and 
established there Camp Slaughter.  This was on July 29th, the regiment 
having marched five hundred and eighty-five miles from Fort Snelling, 
and had driven the last band of hostile Indians out of Minnesota, and 
beyond the Missouri.  Long and arduous marches, in conjunction with 
scarcity of water and provisions, made it necessary to abandon the 
pursuit, and the regiment returned to Fort Snelling, when they were 
granted a short furlough.  In September following they received orders 
to proceed to St. Louis by boat, from Dunleith opposite Dubuque. The 
regiment arrived in St. Louis on the 10th and did provost duty from 
October 23, 1863, until April 22, 1864.  Our subject was promoted 
sergeant in January, 1864. From St. Louis the regiment was ordered to 
Columbus, Kentucky, and in June went to Memphis, where they were soon 
after assigned to the Sixteenth Army Corps, commanded by General A. J. 
Smith.  Mr. Byrne afterward participated with his regiment in several 
important expeditions from Memphis, and while attempting to cut the 
railroad at Tupelo, Mississippi, they were attacked by six thousand 
Confederates under the redoubtable General Forrest.  A fierce battle 
ensued, the first part of which the Tenth was held in reserve, but were 
in a greatly exposed position and lost a number of men. Later in the 
fight they took an active part and covered themselves with glory.  The 
next important movement that the regiment engaged in was the raid after 
General Sterling Price in which they distinguished themselves.  This 
raid was notable for long marches and exposures, and many of the men 
trace their disability to this source.  After the raid the regiment 
returned to St. Louis, and from there went to Nashville, and engaged in 
that memorable battle.  It was in this battle that Mr. Byrne's brigade 
had the honor of first breaking through the enemies lines, with a loss 
of several men and officers, but inflicting greater loss on the Rebels 
and also captured hundreds of prisoners.  The Tenth won immortal fame 
in this fight, and took active part in the pursuit of Hood's forces. 
They went by boat on the Tennessee river to Eastport, Mississippi, 
where they went into winter quarters and in the February following they 
embarked for New Orleans, from whence they went to Dauphins Island at 
the mouth of Mobile bay, where they went into camp.  Later the regiment 
proceeded up Fish river to Spanish Fort, and took an active part in the 
capture of the same.  After the capture of Spanish Fort and the fall of 
Mobile they marched to Montgomery, Alabama, where they went into camp 
for a time.  From here they marched to Meridian, Mississippi, where 
they remained until they received orders to be mustered out of service, 
and then marched to Vicksburg where they embarked for St. Paul, and 
from thence to Fort Snelling where they were given their honorable 
discharge in August, 1865.  Mr. Byrne had much active field work in the 
service but escaped without a scratch, although he had many narrow and 
hair breadth escapes.

Mr. Byrne was married September 18, 1865, to Catharine Byrne, who was 
born January 25, 1835, at King's Court, county of Cavan, Ireland.  She 
was a daughter of James and Katharine (Clark) Byrne, who both died when 
she was less than three years of age.  She was brought up by her 
grandparents, and after their death she came to America in 1852 with 
her only brother, who afterward died, a Union soldier, in the Civil 
war.  After residing in Norwalk. Ohio, several years, she removed to 
Faribault.  Her death occurred August 17, 1897.

Mr. and Mrs. Byrne were the parents of the following six children:  
Thomas P., James, Agnes E., Edward C., Francis and Mary C.  The family 
are all members of the Catholic church.  In his political life Mr. 
Byrne is a Jacksonian Democrat, and stanchly adheres to the principles 
of his party.

In 1891 he made a trip to Idaho, and purchased an eighty-acre tract of 
land, which he still owns.  He is one of the substantial men of his 
community, where he is respected by all who know him for his integrity 
and uprightness of character.